Daily Times

LAHORE: There has been no let up in the sale of adulterated milk in the provincial capital despite the Punjab Food Authority’s strict action and steps against those involved in the malpractice.

To further discourage the adulteration mafia, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has for the first time launched a simultaneous crackdown across Punjab under which the authorities disposed of more than 40,000 litres of adulterated milk, which were confiscated by holding pickets at the entry points of the cities on Saturday.

In Lahore, the crackdown was supervised by PFA DG Noorul Amen Mangel along with media teams at Gajju Matta in the morning.

The PFA teams also set up pickets at Thokar Niaz Baig, Bhubtian Chowk and Sagian under the supervision of the zonal officers concerned.

According to details, 4,000 litres of substandard milk was discarded in Lahore, 3,500 litres in Multan, 3,800 litres in Rawalpindi, and more than 11,000 litres in Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, DG Khan and Bahawalpur combined.

According to PFA officials, milk samples were taken and tested on the spot using lactometers. Wherever the lactometer reading was low and water and chemicals found in milk, the commodity was discarded. Several milkmen in possession of chemicals and different powders to thicken the milk were also held.

PFA Director General Noorul Amen Mengal told Daily Times that the authority had formulated a strategy to completely ban the sale of open milk within the next five years. He said it was also focusing on introducing the pasteurisation law for completely stopping the sale of loose milk.

Talking about the latest crackdown, he said, “Our teams intercepting vehicles transporting milk and discarded a huge quantity of adulterated milk.”

To a query, he said that the sale of loose milk would not be allowed and all milk offered for sale shall be pasteurised as a mandatory requirement.

He further said that the PFA would not allow the practice of milk adulteration in Punjab, adding that the authority had started a series of awareness seminars at educational institutions to highlight the issue of unhygienic food. He said that the authority would also highlight the adulteration of milk, which was very dangerous for consumers, especially children.

Published in Daily Times, September 24^th 2017.